On the turn of the new year, Jason Day and Nike Golf announced that the Australian Golfer has signed a multi-year contract, thought to be worth up to $10 million a year, which will see him wear Nike footwear, apparel, headwear and gloves starting this week at the SBS Tournament of Champions at Kapalua in Maui, Hawaii.
“Joining Nike is a dream come true,” Jason Day said in the press release. “The brand is synonymous with the world’s best athletes. I’m honored and can’t wait to be part of the team and working closely with Nike to take my game, and the sport of golf, to even higher levels.”
Day announced the news on Instagram and Nike released several photos on his new threads. The No. 1 will continue to play TaylorMade golf clubs as Nike is now out of the equipment industry and after he re-signed with TaylorMade in September.
"Obviously, we're renewing with TaylorMade, and it's been -- I think I've been with them 10 years, since I turned professional. It's been amazing," Day said earlier at the 2016 Tour Championship. "To be able to renew and play the equipment and be successful with that equipment and know that equipment, I'm very excited about it.
Exact terms of the contract were not released by either parties. However, news about the deal leaked more than three months ago when ESPN’s Darren Rovell first reported in September that Jason Day would switch from TayorMade-Adidas apparel and footwear, less than a week after which Nike Golf announced it’s exit from the equipment industry.
Nike now has the two players of the world in Jason Day and Rory McIlroy on it’s portfolio which also includes the likes of Paul Casey, Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka. Throw in Kevin Chappell, Jamie Lovemark, Tony Finau, Patrick Rodgers and Nick Watney and it looks like Nike has a strategy in place for it’s post-equipment phase in order to become the undisputed leader of the footwear and apparel industry once again.
Day is the first high-profile golfer to sign with Nike Golf since it decided to exit the Golf equipment industry and concentrate its efforts on apparel and footwear.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jason to the Nike Golf team and our family of athletes,” said Daric Ashford, president of Nike Golf, in the news release. “He’s an incredible player who has demonstrated tremendous work ethic and amazing resilience over the course of his career. We’re excited to help him chase more championships in the coming years.”
Jason Day turned professional in 2006 and has since then racked up ten PGA Tour wins which includes his 2015 PGA Championship triumph.
In the 2015-2016 season, Day won three times with all the victories coming in a two-month hot stretch that included wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play in back-to-back weeks, and finished up with a strong wire-to-wire performance at THE PLAYERS Championship.
Also Read: Most contentious moments of Golf in 2016
